First off SERIOUSLY I KNOW THE PICTURE RIGHT! It doesn't look good. But y'all have you ever tried to make green sauce look good on film? Good luck with that. But trust me this taste fucking amazing and if you don't try it, well you will spend the rest of your life having never tasted the best basil creamy chicken ever on the planet. And then really, your life would be void.
This recipe was an accident. A few years ago for Christmas my mom got me cooking classes at this quaint little school here in Reno. The final class we made real tempura (not powder out of a box) then tempura'd (so not a word) some chicken. After that we made this raging good green curry and coconut sauce. We Then put the tempura chicken in the curry sauce. To offset the heat our final recipe was the most amazing basil sauce ever. Unfortunately in the move I lost my recipe books from there. Anyway Sunday night I'm at the store and I see this bag of basil. Right now basil is mostly shitty so when I looked up and saw these HUGE GIANT leaves of organic basil for an amazing price I nearly shit myself. I opened it, smelled it and it was like sex in a bag. I fucking love basil. Right away I said I wanted to make that chicken. I knew my husband wouldn't go for curry so I figured I would just make the basil sauce. Problem was I had no idea what was in it. So I winged it.
Anyway if any of you are wondering how I really honestly cook I'll tell you now. FIrst I threw about a cup of basil in the blender with about a cup of spinach. I used the spinach because it would keep the green color and it's healthy. I was chopping garlic to marinate the chicken in so I threw in about a clove of that. Then I tossed in some salt, pepper, and a half cup of water. I pushed blend but it wasn't enough water. In went another half cup. During this time I was also instant messaging my friend Mathers here is our conversation:
Shannon: the sauce needs something and i can't place it
Mathers: nutmeg
Shannon: im thinking lemon juice
Mathers: that was my next thought some acid
a dash of vinegar may be good too
beause of the spinach
Shannon: mmm good...i might have got heavy on the vinegar but good
So. As you can see I added in a splash of lemon juice and a dash of red wine vinegar. It was good but something was still missing. I thought perhaps some cream. I threw it in a sauté pan, let it reduce, tossed in some cornstarch because I was inpaitient and mulled over it. After getting all mad that my verdant green turned to a pee soup green I thought MILK! Normally I would use heave cream or half and half but I had neither so whole milk it was. Then I thought, what would Pioneer Woman do? So I did the only logical thing. I dumped a pound of cream cheese in there (half cup). Added in some milk, whisked it up and HOLY SHIT THAT SAUCE WAS BLOWING MY FUCKING MIND!
So now you know. When I cook I just wing it. I taste and discuss it, and then when all else fails...I add toss in some good ole cream cheese (or butter, or bacon or.....you know FLAVOR).
My husband devoured this. And he doesn't like fancy food. I poured my sauce over sautéd mushrooms and then spent the night upset that my stomach got full because I had to stop eating, but oh man am I counting the hours until lunch tomorrow.
With out further ado, the worlds best basil chicken ever in the world!
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken
1 Cup fresh basil
1 Cup fresh spinach
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
5 cloves garlic chopped)
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp corn starch
1 cup water plus 2 tbsp water
4 oz cream cheese
3 tbsp whole milk (heavy cream and half and half will work)
5 tbsp olive oil
In large baggy combine chicken 4 cloves garlic and olive oil. Marinate for about 20 minutes. Preheat grill and place chicken on grill on low. In blender combine spinach, basil, garlic, salt, pepper, lemon juice, vinegar, and water. Blend until smooth. Check your chicken, if it easily lifts off the grill it is time to turn. Pour your sauce in a sauté pan and stir over low until it begins to bubble. Combine cornstarch and 2 tbsp cold water in a small bowl and add to your basil sauce. Simmer and then add cream cheese. Whisk until combined. Add milk, whisk and allow sauce to simmer on LOW. Remove chicken from grill and place it in sauce. Turn to coat it and serve.
Right here is where you add in a giant hunk of creem cheese. The color will change but fuck it taste good.
Oh baby I could eat you on a spoon
See those grill marks. That is because I left the chicken alone until it was ready to flip, I didn't fiddle fuck around with it.
Printable version click to enlarge
